Missing in Action
by Dragondancer81
Summary: A one-shot in which Lucy is missing and Natsu's worried. My first Fairytail fanfic. Hope I didn't mess this up too badly. NALU.


* **DISCLAIMER***

 **I Don't own Fairy Tail Hiro Mashima does.**

 _But you already knew that didn't you?_ **  
**

* * *

Natsu stomped down the road angrily. Cursing his luck.

The flowers were in full bloom in this part of Fiore but he didn't seem to care.

He just continued past confused onlookers in a huff.

Wisely though non of the onlookers commented about it. Even though it was obvious what they were thinking and that there was something bothering Fairy tail's resident dragon slayer.

The aura hanging around him was scary. It was dark black and seeping out as he trudged towards the city of Magnolia.

There were little children playing in the street who fled at the sight of him. No one wanted to be near someone with that amount of pure power when they were in that sort of mood.

* * *

To say Natsu was worried was an understatement. Natsu was very worried.

His favourite blond guild mate and partner hadn't been to the guild all week.

He knew she wasn't at her apartment because when he checked her apartment to see if she was all right. She wasn't there.

He'd planned on going on a mission with her but because she wasn't there he had been forced to go alone with happy.

Natsu didn't mind much. Happy was his little buddy after all. But he had really been looking forward to the mission with her.

He picked it because it was nice and easy a good training mission for Lucy. Not that she needed it but he did want to spend some alone time with her.

If he'd known she wouldn't be here he wouldn't have accepted.

He didn't want to but he ended up going anyway because he gave his word. He was a Fairy Tail wizard and Fairy Tail wizards won't go back on their word.

He'd asked around Magnolia to see if anyone had any clue to where she could be.

Even her landlady wasn't sure where Lucy was.

Nobody at the guild knew where she was either and they were all becoming a little worried.

* * *

Natsu was the worst though.

It had been at least 4 days since he discovered her missing and the pink haired pyromaniac was going insane, picking fights with everyone he saw, destroying guild property and attacking anyone or anything that got in his way whilst searching for his precious nakama Lucy.

It got so bad that Little Asuka wouldn't go to the guild anymore because ' _Uncle Natsu was Scary!'_

Erza had tried to get him to calm down because he was scaring her, only to receive a fiery fist to the face. Which in turn made her punch Natsu right back and he went flying into Gray who sent a blast of ice magic which hit Elfman and in typical Fairy Tail style , the fight escalated to a full on guild brawl within minutes.

* * *

While this battle royal was going on, only one person noticed a certain blond haired mage enter the guild with a knowing smile.

 **"LUCE!"**

Natsu cried upon seeing his partner enter the guildhall, halfway between punching Gray in the face and dodging the Ice mages own incoming fist.

Everyone else stopped what they were doing becoming frozen in their battle positions listening to the interaction between Natsu and his partner.

 **"Hey Natsu did you miss me?"** Lucy asked smiling. Her smile seemed a bit off to Natsu but nobody else seemed to notice they were all too focused on the return of their favorite celestial mage.

 **"Yeah we were all worried about you. Where did you go weirdo? Me, Erza and that stupid stripper along with the rest of the guild have been searching everywhere for you."**

Lucy frowned slightly

 **"But Natsu I told you were I was going last Tuesday. Don't you remember it was after you made me pay for your meal again."**

"Natsu tilted his head to the side surely he would remember that.

 **"… You did?"**

Lucy sighed and rolled her eyes at him.

' _Typical Natsu'_ She thought.

* * *

Last Tuesday (General P.O.V)

* * *

Happy and Lucy are talking at the guild while they wait for Natsu to turn up for their mission together.

 **"Happy do you know when Natsu will get here I need to talk to him."** Lucy asked the little blue exceed.

 **"You liiike him Lucy!"** He purred

 **"WHAT NO WAY YOU STUPID CAT!"**

Lucy aimed her famous 'Lucy Kick' at the exceed. One of her red shoes slipped off in the process and went flying. She didn't find out until later that afternoon that it had hit Nab on the head whilst he was standing in front of the job board.

 **"Yeeesss you do that's why you wanna talk to hiiimm"**

 **"Shut up you stupid hairball that's not the reason"** Lucy yelled seething. That darn exceed was so annoying.

 **"Oh reeaaallly Lucy?"** He drawled. Not believing her for a second.

 **"Yeah happy, we are just friends"**

 **"No your not! Your in love and I know the perfect song for this occasion"**

Happy takes in a deep breath ready to burst into song:

 **"DON'T YOU EVEN DARE CAT"**

Happy winks at her before flying around the guild singing the 'perfect' song.

 **"Lucy and Natsu sitting in a tree K.I.S.S.I.N.G, First comes love, second comes marriage, third comes baby in a dirty carriage!"**

* * *

Mira's P.O.V

* * *

I was cleaning some glasses at the bar when I heard happy singing.

What I heard was music to my ears. Literally!

Matchmaker mode switched on. I squealed in delight before adding a tally mark next to the word NALU in my secret matchmaking manual.

 **'** _Nalu is in the lead followed closely by gruvia' 'Ohmygosh! Natsu and Lucy are soooooo cute together!'_

* * *

Back to general P.O.V

* * *

Happy laughed dancing in and out of Lucy's reach as she started hurling insults (and objects) at him.

Natsu was still no where to be seen and Mira who was at the bar kept giggling and talking about something called NaLu or whatever.

" **Lushee don't throw tables at me that's mean i'm gonna tell Natsu on you"**

 **"THEN STOP ANNOYING ME YOU DAMN EXCEED"**

* * *

Timeskip 1/2 hour later (General P.O.V)

* * *

 **"So that's why I can't come on the mission today I've got to go pack for the trip"** Lucy told her teammate who looked like he wasn't paying any attention at all.

 **"Aww… If you're not coming can you at least bye me lunch Luce"** Natsu said sadly. He was disappointed that she couldn't come but understood why the trip was important to her.

 **"Fine but only because you were so excited about the mission."**

 **"YES! YOUR THE BEST LUCY!"**

Natsu started cheering before going to Mira and ordering everything on the Menu. Completely forgetting whatever Lucy just said.

' _I hope he doesn't forget. Nah he's not that stupid right?'_

Lucy sighed as she pulled out her wallet readying herself for the price of Natsu's 'lunch'

* * *

Back to present time (General P.O.V)

* * *

 **"Are you sure you told me Luce?"** Natsu asked quizzically.

 **"Yeah I know I did. It was the same day you told me to put chilli powder in Erza's strawberry cake and hot sauce on Gray's mint ice cream."**

Lucy tapped her chin in thought before realizing that she just ratted Natsu out.

 **"Oops!" "Probably shouldn't have said that in front of them.** "

Lucy looked towards a furious Erza and Gray. She shrugged. It was his own fault anyway.

 **"Consider this punishment Natsu. For forgetting about where I was."**

 **"Luceee that was mean!"** Natsu pouted. ' _How could she do that to me!'_

Lucy just grinned at him. To Natsu though it still seemed like she was hiding something and he didn't like that one bit. But answers could wait. Gray and Erza Couldn't.

Gray cracked his knuckles in anticipation. That pyro was going to pay for even thinking about messing with his mint ice-cream.

 **"You're going to get it now Flame brain"**

Erza had stiffened upon hearing about his attempt to convince Lucy to harm her precious strawberry cake.

She spoke sweetly her words laced with hatred and contempt.

 **"Natsu, You and I need to have a little talk about what not to do to my strawberry cake."**

*GULP*

Happy flying above Natsu's head decided to whisper some helpful advice to the already dead dragon slayer.

 **"Hey Natsu"**

 **"Yeah buddy"**

Gray and Erza began to walk towards the guilty dragon slayer.

 **"RUN!"**

Natsu took off at an incredible speed racing out of the guildhall at an incredible speed trying to outrun the angry mages and escape his doom.

He might have made it if he hadn't run past Laxus who decided to stick his foot out at the precise moment Natsu passed him.

The citizens of Magnolia sweat dropped when they came across the scene of a pink haired man being ruthlessly beaten up by a red haired lady in a suit of armor and a near naked raven haired man who were yelling something about ice cream and strawberry cake.

Of course most were too focused on the poor man and his attackers to notice a certain lightning mage laughing at the pinky from his place on a park bench across the street.

Nobody was going to help him though they didn't want to get on the bad side of fairy-tail's requip mage.

* * *

Meanwhile at the guild (General P.O.V)

* * *

Lucy is seated at a table talking to Levy whilst waiting for Mira to serve her strawberry milkshake. Natsu was probably still getting beaten up somewhere by Erza and Gray.

 **"So Lu-chan where have you been all week? Everyone was starting to get worried."**

Gajeel who was sitting at the opposite table eating a plate of scrap metal grunted in agreement.

 **"That idiot salamander was going off his brain at every little thing because he didn't know where you were."**

Levy glared at him before saying in a sweet yet evil voice that made every man in the room tremble

 **"Gajeel kun it isn't nice to insult people you should know better than to call Natsu an idiot."**

He scoffed and looked to the side

 **"Sorry Shrimp but it aint an insult when it's the truth."**

 **"Gaaajeeel"** Levy whined

 **"Don't call me shrimp or I'll tell everyone about that sweater you made for Pantherlilly"**

Lucy took this as her cue to burst out laughing when Elfman joined the conversation stating that 'Sweaters are manly!

* * *

*Flashback* To the previous week. (Lucy's P.O.V)

* * *

 _'Well it's time to get going'_ I thought to myself as I boarded the train to Crocus. Yukino had agreed to meet me there. Apparently the Rosewood Cafe was her favorite place to sit down and relax.

' _It's sure full of passengers today. I wonder if something big is going on.'_ I decided to ask the ticket checker when he came past my seat to see if I had brought my train ticket. I found out that there was some sort of festival going on honoring the princess.

The festival would be on all week. So many people would be out celebrating for the whole time I was here.

Without Natsu here though it wouldn't be as fun. I had only been gone for what? like half a day and I was already starting to miss him.

With nothing else to do due to the absence of my team mates I stared out the window watching the scenery flash by.

* * *

TimeSkip 3 Hours (Lucy's P.O.V)

* * *

 _'The cafe should be right around this corner_.' I wandered around the cobblestone streets trying to find the cafe but to no avail.

I gazed in wonder at the many decorations lining the streets. There were fairy lights, golden flowers and streamers of every color. People were everywhere. Mages and Non-magic folk alike. People were dancing, people were singing, nobody seemed to care about who they were or of what social class they were. Everybody was in harmony.

There were beggars off the streets dancing with rich aristocrats. It was like a dream. It was beautiful.

' _I wish my team were here, they would have loved this.'_ When I came across a giant all you can eat buffet table in the middle of the city I had to laugh. ' _If Natsu was here he'd probably think he'd died and gone to heaven!'_

I was so distracted by the wonders of the festival I completely forgot about my meeting with Yukino. That is until she sent Sting and Lector out to find me. When I say find I mean ruthlessly capture and drag me to her.

* * *

At Rosewoods Cafe (Yukino's P.O.V)

* * *

I paced back and forth outside of the cafe. My boots clacking on the ground as I walked. ' _Where is Lucy-san? She was supposed to meet me hours ago.'_

My hectic pacing did not stop however until said blond ran up to me followed by a grumpy looking sting.

 **"Yukino-san!"**

 **"Lucy-san!"** I called in reply before I hugging the excited mage.

 **"Where were you I was so worried that something might have happened to you?"**

 **"I can answer that for you Yukino baby. She was dancing in the town square with a suspicious looking orange haired guy."** Sting blurted out.

 **"Baka sting! Loke is not suspicious he's my spirit and my friend."** She said whacking Sting on the head with a newspaper.

 **"Anyway that's not why i'm here. I wanted to see if you could help me with a problem. I... Its about one of my spirits."**

 **"Of course Lucy-san I'll see if I can help."** ' _Somethings wrong with one of her spirits!? It must be bad if she came all this way to see if I could help.'_

We took a seat at a nearby table. Sting said something about tracking down Lector who seemed to have vanished before leaving to go find him.

 **"So Lucy-san what appears to be the problem?"**

As soon as I said that her whole cheerful demeanor vanished. Tears welled up in her eyes as she pulled something out of her bag and handed it wordlessly to me.

A million thoughts ran through my head as I looked down to what she handed me.

' _Aquarius's key! But it's broken! Is it fixable! When did this happen? Poor Lucy!'_

 **"Lucy-san..."** I breathed.

 **"I'm sorry but..."** I looked at her heartbroken face. It was filled with anguishand pain. I couldn't do that to her. I couldn't crush her hope.

 **"I don't know how to fix it I'm sorry but I promise that if there is a way I will find it for you."**

I pulled the celestial mage into a hug I could feel our spirits keys pulsing letting us know how they felt.

Sting returned and shot me a concerned look when he noticed the state Lucy was in. I'll tell you later go. I mouthed to him.

He nodded and left us alone.

 **"Lucy your here for another 3 days right?"**

She nodded her blond ponytail bobbing up and down.

 **"Let's enjoy the festival together!"** Again she nodded but this time she managed a weak smile before I grabbed her hand and dragged her off to my favorite part of the festival.

* * *

Back to present time. (General P.O.V)

* * *

Lucy and Levy are at a table talking. Gajeel and Elfman are listening intently in the back-round. Surprisingly they've been silent throughout most of the conversation.

 **"So you went to visit Yukino Lucy?"** Levy asked.

The celestial mage had stopped speaking when she got to the part about the conversation at the cafe and Levy had a feeling that whatever Lucy had went there for hadn't been a success.

Lucy dropped her gaze. Her face losing all it's color. All her cheer gone as she thought about the reason she went to Crocus to see Yukino.

 **"Yeah I was hoping that Yukino might know a way to... to… f… fix… her key."** Lucy stuttered out.

The mood at the table turned sombre as soon as she finished her sentence. Everyone at the guild knew about what happened during the biggest battle of their lives. They all knew about Aquarius and how much devastation Lucy felt about the breaking of her key.

She sat silently. She couldn't hold it in anymore. Tears streaming down her face as she thought of her mother's beloved celestial spirit. _'Aquarius I'm sorry! So very very sorry!'_ She said over and over inside her head.

Elfman and Gajeel got up quietly and moved to a different table. They clearly looked awkward in this situation. Whilst understanding her pain. Neither one knew how to make the celestial mage feel better. They were helpless in this situation.

Levy desperately tried to comfort her best friend but to no avail.

Lucy just kept on crying, her tears dripping onto the table.

 **"It was my fault levy I had to summon him to save everyone because I was too weak to fight by myself. It's my fault she's gone."** She managed to say in a weak voice.

She uttered the four words that had haunted her every day since the incident.

 **"It's all my fault."**

Lucy burst into tears yet again, she felt terrible. Her mother had taught her that spirits aren't slaves they were friends, and in her case family. She had hurt Aquarius. She had hurt her family.

 **"Lu-chan…"**

 **"Bunny girl…"**

 **"Manly girl...** "

Lucy gasped as two warm strong arms wrapped around her torso and pulled her upward.

His hand forced her to lift her head up so she would look at him.

Lucy's tearful chocolate brown eyes gazed into Natsu's angry onyx ones.

 **"Luce don't ever say that again! You're not weak and it wasn't your fault her key broke!"**

 **"Aquarius knew what she was doing. She knew her key would break when you summoned him."**

Lucy couldn't help it. The tears stopped flowing. He always knew exactly what to say.

Her voice weak and broken she willed herself to speak, to explain.

 **"I still summoned him though! I was the reason it broke because I couldn't fight by myself! because I!"**

Natsu cut her off. She was wrong. It wasn't her fault.

 **"Don't even go there Lucy you know it wasn't your fault"**

 **"If it was anyone's fault it was Tartorus's not yours and not Aquarius's!"**

Lucy dropped her gaze. She knew he was right.

 **"Natsu…"**

His eyes softened

 **"Yeah Luce"**

Lucy looked at him

 **"Thank you…"**

Natsu smiled as he ruffled her hair and wiped away her tears

 **"Anytime weirdo"**

* * *

Ok that's it for my first Fairy Tail one-shot. Hope it's ok and not too terrible.

RR (Please No mean or rude reviews)

NALU IS THE BEST!

~DragonDancer


End file.
